Now it is December, it is officially the Holiday Season here at rrramble, and what better way to get into the festive spirit than with Netflix's latest Christmas film Falling for Christmas. Featuring the iconic Lindsay Lohan, this is a light-hearted tale of a spoilt heiress who suffers amnesia after falling off a mountain, and is taken in by the kindly local inn owner until her memory returns. Featuring a rich but distant father, a shallow fiancé, and a little girl that brings out the best our heroine, it is a classic rom-com motif, decorated in all the snow, Christmas lights, and baubles you could hope for.
But what did our rrreviewers think?
Warning: Spoilers ahead
Becky
Sometimes, a film trailer is not accurate. You think you know exactly what to expect. Then you go watch the film, and it's something completely different, and the tone is just not what you wanted or needed at that moment. I am happy to say that there is no mismatch here. If you have seen the promotional materials, not even a trailer, just the images, you know exactly what this film is and it delivers that to you. In that sense this is a successful film.
However, it would feel like a betrayal of my student loan payments for the film course I did if I didn't address the badness here. There isn’t space for all of my thoughts, so here are some. The CGI was bad, the reveal happened before the punchline on jokes, the story pacing was weird, a lot of blatant product placement, a lot of ‘yay capitalism’ for a film where sharing and charity sorted out the big plot problem, and whole characters seemed to flip 180 degrees (like what happened to her dad? I want to see that movie?!). The film reminded me of a 90-minute version of the TikToks that tell a Hallmark Movie plot in two minutes. The two people in the TikTok go through this plot at hyper speed, and I appreciate the efficiency of those TikToks now.
Despite this, I liked the comfort of knowing exactly what will happen next. I was grateful it had a shorter ‘oh no! Everything was going so well, but something bad has come to light and caused conflict’ section. They managed to whip through many emotional epiphanies efficiently, with most only being given mere minutes. By that point I was impressed with my suspension of disbelief.
Times to watch this film (maybe, if you really want to):
Whilst you do your Christmas decorations.
To have on in the background whilst everyone is chatting after dinner on Christmas day.
If you just want a comfortable watch where you know nothing horrible will happen, this is the film for you and it will just be smooth brain time.
Watch it with someone and watch their reaction. My partner supplied a commentary that I think is DVD worthy.
I have dodged films like this very well for years, but I wanted to watch it because Lindsay Lohan was in it. I was really hoping for something better for her return. Having her sing 'Jingle Bell Rock’ was a nice touch and definitely hit on the Mean Girls nostalgia, but the whole film felt like a bizarre collection of scenes only connected by Lindsay Lohan. I think I'll go back through Lohan's filmography and watch her older films. Those films perfectly aligned with the stages of me growing up, so they meant a lot to me then, and they still do now. I look forward to seeing what she does next, and I am hoping it offers me more than this did. I can guarantee you that if you watch this film, it will be one more film you have watched.
Gazal
The icon herself Lindsay Lohan is making a highly-anticipated comeback with Netflix’s Falling for Christmas. The title alone suggests a predictably wholesome rom-com, and with nothing but cheesy, silly antics, along with the sappiness that comes with the stereotypical format that’s similar to Overboard or It’s a Wonderful Life, this film makes for a very simple yet blithe, family-friendly watch this December.
The movie revolves around the overly wealthy, pampered heiress Sierra Belmont (Lohan) who is spending her Christmas at her father’s ski-resort. After she has a dramatic fall from a mountain, where she is left concussed on one side of the mountain whilst her boyfriend Tad is stranded on the other, Sierra suffers severe amnesia with no ID or memory of who she is. Lucky for Sierra, widowed single dad Jake, played by former Glee star Chord Overstreet (who lives with his sweet daughter Avy and supportive mother-in-law Alejandra) finds her buried in the snow and rescues her. Jake kindly volunteers to shelter Sierra at his humble family-friendly cabin/inn until her wealthy father and Tad come to claim her.
This movie is filled with cheesy references to the stereotypical rich social media ‘it girls’. The stereotype states fashionistas of our generation can only be airheads, who are pigeon-holed into being interested in nothing but superficial designer outfits and the life of fame and excess. Lindsay Lohan herself was arguably hounded for being this very stereotype during her peak stardom in the early 2000s, along with the likes of Paris Hilton, Nicole Ricci, Britney Spears and so forth, which might explain why she was chosen for this role. We see how Lohan’s character learns to be less pampered and spoilt whilst staying at Jake’s Inn, whose life on the other hand is shown to be much more simple and wholesome in contrast. His business struggles due to the high cost of maintenance needed along with the rise of competition such as Airbnb and the opulent ski resorts that are in high demand again, referencing the modern times we live in. His personal life is shown to be very lonely ever since his wife passed away, but Sierra’s presence soon changes this as she learns to clean, work and sort her own bed sheets whilst staying there. This ultimately transforms both the Inn and Jake’s feelings for Sierra.
As silly and predictable the movie is, Sierra’s journey from spoilt to selfless is quite wholesome. I can't help but feel that Lohan’s portrayal brings back a smidgen of 2000’s nostalgia that she brought in all her other classic movies, which is nothing but simple, light-hearted, and goofy antics. I feel this especially when homages to Lohan’s classics, like ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ from the iconic movie Mean Girls, and Just My Luck, where her attempts to help do some laundry leads to chaos with the washing machine. From the fluffy hot pink winter hat and ski-outfit, to the “Valenyagi” jumpsuit with oversized Gucci sunglasses, I can’t help but admire the opulence and comedic absurdity Lohan brings to this character, no different to how other dramatic female characters such as Sharpay in High School Musical, or Regina George from Mean Girls.
The difference with this Christmas movie is how Lindsay Lohan is no longer the classic teen queen, but a more grown up, adult and even motherly figure, especially when she bonds with Jake's daughter Avy whilst fixing her hair and talking about her own mother to her. Even from the beginning, we see glimpses of her character's self-awareness, especially after spending time with Jake and his daughter, and discovering how they both share losing their respective mother-figures (Jake's wife and Sierra's mother). Coupled with Sierra finally becoming a self-sufficient woman who is more caring and in-control of her surroundings, a new era has emerged for Lindsay Lohan where we may perhaps see her in more mature and motherly roles.
Overall, I’d say this movie is not going to be the best movie you’ve ever seen, but it probably won't be the worst either. There's no doubt that Lindsay Lohan can act, regardless of what character she plays, and if you’re looking for a simple cheesy rom-com to watch this Christmas that anyone can watch and doesn’t need too much focus or thought, then don’t be embarrassed to tune in on Netflix and watch Falling for Christmas!
Edited by Harriet